Piano tone-modifier.



P. WALES.

PIANO TONE MODIFIBR.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 29, 1910.

1,024,235. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 BHEETS-SHBET 1.

- WWWW COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH $0., WASHINGTON. u c.

P. WALES.

PIANO TONE MODIFIER.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 29, 1910.

1,024,235. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAP" C0..WAsHlNnTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

PHILIP WALES, OF COV'INGTON, KENTUCKY.

PIANO TONE-MODIFIER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP VVALES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Covington, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in PianoTone-Modifiers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device to be used on pianos which allows avariation of tone to be obtained from the piano, by means of the use ofdifferent striking points in said device.

The object of my invention is to construct a device which may be readilyattached to any piano and may be easily adjusted to produce a variety oftones.

My invention consists in providing a support extending across the pianoaction having striking shanks mounted in said support, striking heads onsaid shanks, and means whereby said support may be readily adjusted inorder that any Striking shank may be brought into the path of the hammerof the piano, so that the striking head on the end of said hammer shankwill strike the strings of the piano when the hammer of said piano isoperated.

In the accompanying drawing which serves to illustrate my invention:Figure l is a vertical cross section taken through the action of anyupright piano equipped with my invention. F ig. 2 is a fragmentary frontelevation showing my device mounted in front of the hammers of thepiano, some of the hammers being broken away for the sake of clearness.Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the track which ismounted on the sides of the piano in which my device slides. Fig. 4 is adetailed view of one of the striking shanks mounted in the support. Fig.5 is a cross sectional view taken through the action of a grand pianoequipped with my device.

In the embodiment of my invention, as illustrated, 1 represents thehammer shanks of the piano and 2 the hammers of same. The piano actionfor operating the hammer shanks and hammers is of the usualconstruction, the hammer shanks resting against the hammer rest rail 10,and being mounted in a hammer butt or heel 11. The hammer butt isoperated by means of the jack 12,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 29, 1910.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 589,739.

which is operated by the jack rocker 13, in which the bridle and catchwires are set. The jack rocker is operated in the usual manner by thelifter 15, which is operated by the rocker 16 to which are attached thepiano keys (not shown.)

A support rail 17 is provided directly in front of the hammers 2 of thepiano and several series of shanks 18,19, 20, 21 and 22 are mountedtherein, each series being adapted to be placed in striking positiondirectly in front of the hammers of the piano by means which willhereinafter be described. Each series of striking shanks is providedwith a corresponding number of striking heads, each series, however,being provided with differently constructed striking heads in order thatdifferent tones may be produced when different striking heads strike thestrings of the piano. The series of striking shanks are provided withstriking points or heads 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 respectively. Thehorizontal support rail 17 which extends across the piano action isslidably mounted in tracks 23 which are fastened on the sides of thepiano. Fastened to the bottom of said horizontal support rail 17 are twoarms 24, which extend downwardly one at each side of the piano, therebyclearing the piano action, and are adapted to be operated at the bottomthereof by a pedal of the piano. These downwardly extending arms or rods24 may each be guided by means of a guide 25 if desired.

The pedal 26 of the piano is pivoted at 27, and has a link or arm 28mounted at the end thereof which in turn is pivoted at 29. When thepedal 26 is forced downwardly, the end of the arm 28 is also forceddownwardly and engages a series of teeth 30 on the lower end of the rodor arms 24, thereby moving said arms or rods 24 downwardly in order thatthe horizontal support rail 17 may be moved downwardly to bring adifferent se ries of striking shanks in striking position.

A spring 31 is suitably mounted in the sides of the piano, and isadapted to engage depressions or hollow surfaces 32 in the sides of thedownwardly extending arms 24. Thus when it is desired to bring a seriesof striking shanks into striking position, it is necessary to operatethe pedal until the spring 31 has engaged the proper depression. The

spring 31 is then strong enough to hold said horizontal support in thatposition until the pedal is operated again.

A collar 33 is mounted on the downwardly extending arms 21 and isadapted to bear against the spring 31, the other end of the spring 31hearing against a stationary bearing 35, which is suitably mounted oneach side of the piano. lVhen it is desired to allow the support rail 17to rise to its uppermost position, the pedal may be operated andreleased quickly, which will allow the spring 34: to carry the arms 24upwardly against the pressure of the spring 31, and will not give thespring 31 time to engage and hold the arms in the depressions 32.

lVhen the horizontal support rail 17 is in its uppermost position, thenormal hammers 2 of the piano may be employed. This, however, is notnecessary inasmuch as a striking head may be provided on the horizontalsupport 17 which corresponds in construction to the original hammer headof the piano, and which would produce the same quality of tone as thehammer head 2.

In order to prevent the striking shanks from interfering with thehammers 2 of the piano when said striking shanks are being adjustedvertically, I provide means for disconnecting acks 12 of the pianoaction from the hammer butt 11, thereby preventing the hammer shanksfrom being operated. To accomplish this result I provide a bar 39 whichextends across the piano action in front of the jacks 12 and is providedwith arms 10 extending along the sides of the piano, having rollers 11mounted on the ends thereof. The rollers 11 are adapted to engage theirregular surfaces 11 of the downwardly extending arms 24. The arms 10on which the horizontal bar 39 is mounted may be journaled in suitablebearings 13 on the sides of the piano. As the arms 2a of the horizontalsupport rail 17 are operated vertically, it is seen that the rollers 11will ride on the irregular surfaces 42 and thereby force the horizontalbar 39 to operate the acks 12, which in turn lock the hammer action andthereby prevent the hammers from being operated when said horizontalsupport rail 17 is being adjusted. The cam surfaces all along the arms24: may be placed in correct position and may be distanced apartproperly to make the arms 10 operate the jacks 12 at the proper time.

The striking shanks are all mounted so as to be struck accurately by thehammers of the piano, there being as many striking shanks in a series asthere are keys or piano hammers on the piano. The striking shanks areprovided with springs $1 one end of which is fastened to the strikingshank. The purpose of the springs 44; is to return the striking shanksto their normal position after they have been operated.

My device may be applied to a grand or square piano as well as to theupright, and may also be used on any automatic player pianos. In Fig. 5of the drawings I have shown my device applied to a grand piano.

The support 15 is mounted in the tracks a6 011 the sides of the pianoand has arms 17 fastened thereto at 418. The arm 17 may extend to thefront exposed part of the piano. The striking shanks and striking headsare constructed like those shown in the upright action having springs141 for returning the striking shanks to their normal position. Teeth 49may be provided in the arms 47 to engage a standard 50 thus causing thearm to stop at each striking position of the striking shanks of thesupport. A small spring 51 may hold the arm etS down in engagement withthe standard 50 and the arm -18 may be raised against the pressure ofthe spring 51 when returning to its normal position. The support for thestriking heads may be moved out of the striking path of the normalhammers 2 of the piano if desired. Thus it is seen that my device may beoperated with a stop on the front of the piano similar to an organ, toobtain various tones, from the piano.

Many different means of operating my device may be employed, and I donot wish to be confined to the particular means shown.

The grand action shown is that which is in common use, 52 showing thepiano keys partly broken away and 53 the rocker. The rocker operates thelifter 54C in the usual manner, which in turn operates the escape-' mentlever rocker 55. The escapement lever 56 is pivoted in the usual manner,as is also the hammer shank 57. The hammer shank 57 is mounted in theusual manner on the regulating and hammer rail 58.

Many modifications of my invention may be made without departing fromits spirit and scope, and I do not wish to be confined to the exactdetails shown.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontally disposed supportrail, a plurality of shanks having hammer heads mounted in verticalalinement therein, and a piano hammer adapted to strike any of saidshanks as desired, substantially as set forth and for the purposesspecified.

2. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontally disposed andvertically slidable support rail, shanks each having a striking headmounted thereon and a piano hammer adapted to strike any of said shanksin the order desired, for the purposes set forth, substantially asspecified.

3. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontally disposed andvertically slidable support rail, a series of shanks arranged invertical alinement thereon, each having a striking head and meansadapted to strike any of said shanks.

4. A piano tone modifier, comprising a horizontally disposed andvertically movable support rail, shanks mounted in said support rail, astriking head on each shank, a piano hammer adapted to strike any one ofsaid shanks as desired, and means Whereby said shanks may be adjusted tobring them into the path of said piano hammer for the purposesspecified.

5. A piano tone modifier comprising a movable support rail, a pluralityof series of shanks carried on said movable support rail and each havinga striking hammer,

and piano hammers adapted to strike said shanks when said movablesupport rail is moved to proper position, substantially as set forth andfor the purposes specified.

6. A piano tone modifier comprising a horizontal support rail, sets ofstriking members mounted therein, piano hammers, and means for movingsaid support rail vertically to permit a given piano hammer to strikedifferent striking members as desired.

PHILIP VALES.

Witnesses:

JAMES N. RAMSEY, VVINONA DOAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

